May Day or Beltane

May Day or Beltane

May Day or Beltane, commencing at the sunset on 30 April. The divinity ruling Beltane is the solar fire deity, variously named Balor, Bel, Belenos, and Baldur, but it is also the time of all deities of growth and fecundity. The sacred color is white. The Asatru God Bragi and the Goddess Iduna are associated with this feast. This time, including May Eve and Walpurgis Night, is a magical time, when the Beltane fires are kindled and revels held in celebration of te oncoming summertime. Then, it is customary to leap through the smoke and flames to purify oneself in preparation for the coming summer season and to promote fertility. The Beltane fire is traditionally composed of wood taken from nine different types of trees and is kindled on a specially prepared sacred nine different types of trees and is kindled on a specially prepared sacred grid. This is made by drawing a square on the ground and dividing it into nine smaller squares. Turf from the eight outer squares is dug out and removed, but the ninth is left at the center. The Beltane fire is lit upon the central square b turning an oaken spindle in an oak log socket–the ancient way of generating fire. Formerly, it was customary to extinguish all of the fires in the locality on May Eve. These were then relit from the village’s Beltane fire. Burning at the center of the nine-square grid, the Beltane fire symbolized the central hearth of the community. These local sacred hearths represented the mystic divine fire at the center of all things, whose spark life is carried by each of us.

The Pagan Book of Days
Nigel Pennick